FEATURE: An entertaining time
Regular and rewarding work are the goals of any professional musician. That’s definitely the case for the members of the Royal New Zealand Navy Band.
Trombonist Hadyn Godfrey and tubist Fraser Robertson come from both ends of the musical spectrum, one from a professional freelance career, and the other straight from school.
Able Musician Godfrey, from North Shore, has only been the RNZN Band for a year, joining when he was 32. He was doing theatre work as a freelance musician in Auckland, and had previously met RNZN band trumpeter Petty Officer Musician Jo Spiers while studying for his Bachelor of Music at Massey. “It was the first week of university, I met Jo and we ended up doing a lot of work together. She said, come and join the band, but I was caught up with my studies. She checked in every so often, and in 2016, a job in the band came up. It was really well timed. I was ready for the next adventure in life.”
He likes having colleagues for the first time, and being part of something that evolves. A regular paycheque is nice as well. “With freelance, you can see the potential, but they are fleeting moments. But with the Navy band, you have a really good sense of action and purpose. It’s the people. It’s a really fantastic team at very high level, who care deeply about what we do.”
Able Musician Robertson, Te Awamutu, came to the Navy Band straight from school, aged 17. “I was playing in a lot of school concerts, was in representative bands as a kid, and doing lots of tours. A friend suggested I look at the Navy band, and I went to a rehearsal.” Now in his seventh year, he says he has had an amazing time with the band. “It’s taken me around the world. The friends you make, the people you meet. We do school concerts, and kids can’t believe you can have a job playing music. There are times when I sit down and just think: this is my job.”
AMUS Godfrey has that moment all the time, he says. “We’re playing at the highest professional level. When you see everyone working their hardest, the music sounds great, and it’s really special being part of it.”
The hardest aspects are being prepared to have plans changed at a moment’s notice, such as the International Naval Review in November 2016, when events got reshuffled owing to the Kaikoura earthquake. “You’ve got to have your wits about you, and stay focused.” Other tricky aspects are getting rained on while parading, and keeping instruments polished and uniforms clean.
Musicians undertake seven weeks of Basic Common Training, rather than 18 weeks.
